Tie-clasp.



J. KIRBY.

TIE CLASP.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 5, 1913'.

1,088,345, Patented Feb. 24, 1914.

WIT \IEEEEE: 7\ /NVE/\/TCIR: ph'eem/g E X w w WW UNITE STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES KIRBY, OF NORTH ATTLEBORO, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO LEACH AND GARNER COMPANY, OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND, A CORPORATION OF RHODE ISLAND.

TIE-CLASP.

messes.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES KIRBY, a citizen of the United States, residing at North Attleboro, in the county of Bristol and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tie- Clasps, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to spring-clasps for neck-tie scarfs and consists of the novel construction and combination of the several parts thereof as hereinafter described and specifically set forth in the accompanying claim.

In the accompanying drawings like reference numerals indicate like parts.

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of a tie-clasp made in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the blank, cut from a plate of sheet metal, preferably brass, and constituting one member of my improved tie clasp, and is hereinafter denominated the finger piece. Fig. 3 is the same as Fig. 2, except that its two ears have been pierced to form pivot holes therein, in which a pivot is to be inserted and secured in position. Fig. 4 is aview of said member or finger piece after the said two ears have been bent to extend, parallel to each other, from the under side of said finger piece and at right angles therewith. In this figure the serrated or toothed end of the finger piece has been bent into a transverse curve approximately 90 in extent. Fig. 5 is a view of the finger piece as seen in cross section on line 00 a: of Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a view of the finger piece as seen in cross section on line 2 e of Fig. 4. Fig. 7 is a view in top plan of the blank of the other member of my improved tie-clasp, hereinafter called the front, and comprising a series of teeth or serrations at one extremity of said blank and two parallel prongs or projections at the opposite extremity of said blank. These prongs or projections have equare ends and there is a U-shaped slot or recess between them. Fig. 8 is a view in side elevation of this second member or front of my improved tie-clasp after the serrated end has been bent into a transverse curve, approximately 90 in extent, and also after each of said two prongs or projection has been bent a quarter-twist and has been Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed May 5, 1913.

Patented Feb. 24, 1914.

Serial No. 765,529.

perforated to form a pivot hole therein. Fig. 9 shows the one bent ear of the finger piece in side elevation and the main body of the finger piece at and near said car as seen in longitudinal section on line w w of Fig. 11, together with the pivot in position and a spiral spring mounted on said pivot. Fig. 10 is a view showing the finger piece of my improved tie-clasp and the two parallel ears thereof (represented in cross section as seen on line 2 e of Fig. 4), and also showing the quarter-twisted prongs or projections of the front of said tie-clasp lying in contact with said ears of the finger piece and together with them constituting two hinges, pivotally connected. Fig. 11 is the same as Fig. 10, except that a spiral spring is shown as mounted on the pivot with the ends of said spring engaged by pressure, one of them against the inner surface of the finger piece and the other of them against the inner surface of the front member, Fig. 12 is an end elevation of said tie-clasp, showing how the teeth of the said two members thereof engage one with another.

In the manufacture of my improved tieclasp I use two members or clamping jaws, which are pivoted together. Each of these members is made from a piece of sheet metal, preferably brass, at first cut from said metal by suitable dies and cutters, and originally fiat. One of these members is designated as the finger piece, because it is preferably operated by the forefinger of the person who wears the tie clasp, and the other is designated as the front, and is the exposed and ornamented portion of the tie clasp and is operated by the thumb of said user, the finger and thumb pressing toward each other upon the finger piece and ornamental front, respectively, in a pinching manner, thereby causing the serrated or toothed ends of said two members to open or separate from each other. The closing movement, whereby said ends come into engagement with each other, is automatically caused by a spring surrounding the pivot, which connects said two members, or clamping jaws.

The finger piece is shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4, and in cross section in Figs. 5 and 6. The blank of said finger piece is shown in Fig. 2 and comprises the ears 1, 1, the presser or projection 2, the body portion 3,

and the serrations or teeth 4 at the end opposite to the presser 2 all in one piece, of uniform thickness. The two edges of the body portion 3 are preferably parallel and straight, and the presser 2 is preferably of the same width as the body portion 3 and its side edges are preferably in alinement and extension of the edges of said body portion. The ears 1, 1, are oppositely located and in transverse alinement with each other. They are preferably semioval in outline and merge into the body portion 3 and the presser 2, as best represented in Fig. 2. Each of the ears 1, 1, has a pivot hole 5 made through it, as illustrated in Fig. 3, and these pivot holes are in alinement with each other transversely, as shown. This blank, shown in Figs. 2 and 3, is then shaped by a suitable die and plunger, or in any other appropriate manner, to give the requisite form, as follows:

(a) The finger piece is clapped or made slightly coneavo-convex transversely, the edge of such curvature along the under surface of the finger piece longitudinally being shown in Fig. 3. By this clapping operation great rigidity. is produced in said member, both longitudinally .and transversely, so that it is able to withstand the finger pressure exerted thereon in opening the tie-clasp.

(b) The serrated end of the finger piece is also bent into a transverse curve, approximately 90 in extent, so that the teeth 4, 1, extend in a direction at a right angle with the finger piece, as seen in Fig. 4.

(c) The ears 1, 1, are bent to extend parallel with each other, in a direction at right angles with the finger piece from the under surface thereof.

These concavo-convex bends and curvatures are shown most plainly in Figs. 5 and 6, Fig. 5 being a cross section of the member as seen on line w m in Fig. 4;, and Fig. 6 being a cross section as seen on line e e of Fig. 4:.

The other member or ornamental front of my improved tie clasp consists of the body portion 6, having serrations or teeth 7 at one end thereof and two parallel prongs or projections 8, 8, with an intermediate slot 9 between said prongs 8, 8, all of these parts being made of one piece of sheet metal, of uniform thickness. Each of these prongs or projections 8, 8, is bent crosswise into a quarter-twist l0, and they are thus capable of lying in contact with the ears 1, 1, of the finger piece, as represented in Figs. 10 and 11. Each prong has a pivot hole 11.

A spiral spring 12 is mounted on a pivot 13 and this pivot extends from side to side, as seen in Figs. 10 and 11. The pivot 13 passes through the pivot holes 5, 5, of the finger piece, which are shown in Figs. 2 and 3, and also through the pivot holes 11 of the prongs 8, 8, shown in Fig. 10. The pivot 13, when so mounted in the said pivot holes, constitutes them a hinge joint, and the two ends of said pivot when they have been so mounted, are riveted in position to form heads 14, let. The two projecting ends 15 and 16 of the spiral spring 12 are straight, as best exhibited in Fig. 9. The end 15 extends beneath the presser 2, and lies within the concaved or clapped surface thereof, where it is partially covered and protected.

The teeth or serrations 4 and 7 engage one another as illustrated in Fig. 12.

The ornamental front 6 is characterized by the bend or curvature 17, shown in Figs. 1 and 8. It is seen in Fig. 1 that this bend 17 has its extreme exterior curve practically in alinement with the extremity of the presser 2.

In practice the outer surface of the presser 2- and the exterior surface of the ornamental front 6, at about the place inclicated in Fig. 1 by the reference numeral 18, receive the pressure of the forefinger and thumb of the operator to open the jaws and separate the teeth 1 from the teeth 7, the spring 12 being thus temporarily compressed. Then said pieces or clamping jaws 3 and 6 are operated to enable the insertion between them of the edge of the shirt bosom and of the contiguous edge of the scarf end, and the tie clasp is then pushed along by hand until said two edges come into contact with the inner surface 19 of the bend or curvature 17. Then the pinch upon the presser 2 and ornamental front 6 is relaxed, and the spring 12 automatically closes the jaws together and causes the teeth 4 and 7 to bite into and securely hold the edge of the shirt bosom and the edge of the scarf end together in the wearing position. The tie clasp thus prevents the upward movement of the scarf upon the shirt bosom, which occasionally happens whenever a scarf end is not fastened in place by my device, or some other suitable tie clasp.

It is a common experience in the use of tie clasps, as heretofore constructed, that the presser and the corresponding portion of the ornamental front project far out beyond the edge of the shirt bosom and are thus liable to be accidentally moved by the unintended contact therewith of the hands of the wearer, or by the accidental rise of the vest due to the various movements of the body. Another disadvantage in the use of the clasps of the common construction is that the edge of the shirt bosom and the edge of the scarf end cannot be inserted far enough into the tie clasps, between the holding jaws thereof, to avoid accidental displacement of the tie clasp in its relative positions upon the shirt bosom and scarf ends caused by the leverage of the extending free portions of the clasp which project beyond the said edges of the fabrics. These undesirable results are generally due to the fact that said fabric edges cannot be inserted beyond the pivot which hinges the two members or jaws of the tie clasp, or beyond the coiled spiral spring which is mounted on said pivot, because such pivot is ordinarily located about half-way along the said two members, or otherwise remote from the outer free ends thereof. These difficulties are obviated by the construction of my improved tie clasp, as hereinbefore shown and described. It is evident that said fabric edges, when inserted into snug contact with the inner surface of the bend 17, are practically in alinement with the tip end of the presser 2 and that said tip end and also said bend 17 do not project to any considerable extent beyond the edge of the shirt bosom, and consequently are not liable to the leverage movements and displacements heretofore experienced in the use of tie clasps, of the ordinary construction. Moreover, it is a novel and characteristic advantage of my improved tie clasp that said inner surface of the bend 17, with which said fabric edges contact, is in a position beyond the pivot or fulcrum of said members or jaws, as considered from the serrated ends thereof, and so not only is it possible to insert the fabrics farther into the tie clasp, but to carry them where the pivot and spring cannot limit or afiect the full and most favorable location of the fabrics within the tie clasp.

I claim as a novel and useful improvement and desire to secure by Letters Patent:-

In a necktie fastener, the combination of a plate provided with a return bend, inclined ears upon the return bend, a pivot pin in the ears, a second plate, ears upon the second plate mounted upon the pivot pin, said ears upon the second plate being provided with inclined edges adapted to guide material away from the pivot pin, a spring upon the pivot pin engaging both plates, and teeth upon both plates registering with each other.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JAMES KIRBY. Witnesses RATHBUN WILLARD, HARRY D. HUNT.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0. 

